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As the ways that we work and live continue to change, many seniors are questioning retirement trends such as the expectation to downsize. For some retirees, homesteading is a better choice, and it provides the perfect opportunity to slow down, nurture their hobbies, connect with loved ones, and enjoy a sprawling property. The goal of being more self-sufficient can be a highly practical and personally satisfying way to live a life that is closer to nature. If this sounds like your dream, Raven’s Rock Real Estate Services hopes this guide can help turn your homesteading hobby into a retirement plan.

Expand your search

As you search for your ideal retirement property, it can help to think outside the box. Because you may not be bound by considerations such as convenience or proximity to services, you can focus on making sure you have plenty of space – for both your loved ones and your homesteading hobbies. You’ll be creating your own lifestyle, so you can expand your search to include properties that are outside urban or suburban areas.

There are many things to consider when choosing a homesteading property, and how you go about house hunting or choosing a plot of land to buy will depend on your own personal vision, needs, as well as what you plan to grow or raise on your property.

Hone your skills

Homesteading is different for everyone, and it can even be done in urban areas. It simply comes down to a self-reliant lifestyle, and you can start moving in this direction wherever you are. One of the most useful aspects of homesteading is knowing how to grow and preserve your own food. If you haven’t already, consider planting a backyard veggie garden or a mini-orchard of fruit trees in containers that can be transported when you move. If you eat meat, consider learning more about raising chickens, hunting or fishing. The skills that you develop now will pay dividends once you’re on your new property.

If you already have homesteading skills such as baking, canning, sewing, hobby farming, or raising livestock, you are more self-reliant than most. You’ll be well-prepared to live in remote or rural areas if you choose to do so, but each property has its own quirks and necessities. Once you’ve narrowed down your search to a specific area or plot of land, consider honing in on a few skills that will fill in the gaps that are specific to where you’ll be living.

Make a plan

Getting your finances in order is an important step in making your homesteading dream a reality. If you’re not cashing out on a pension or retirement funds, you may need to research mortgage options and figure out what type of payment you can afford. It may also be a good idea to talk to your accountant. Depending on your state, you may be eligible for tax exemptions as a homesteading retiree.

You’ll need to consider timing as well. Consult with an agent from Raven’s Rock Real Estate Services to get an idea of whether your current home will sell quickly, as well as how much time it could take to close on a new property. If you’re interested in moving to a rural area, it can be more time consuming than shifting to a new home down the road, and you may need extra time to wrap everything up. If this is the case, ask your realtor about options such as an extended closing.

Homesteading can be a great way to stay active, self-reliant, and connected to friends and family in retirement. Although it might seem daunting at first, you can pursue this dream without stepping too far outside your comfort zone. Just be sure to get your financial ducks in a row, prepare the best you can, and start developing a plan early.

Are you preparing to upsize into a new property? Let the experts at Raven’s Rock Real Estate Services help you find the perfect home for your retirement dreams. Call today for an appointment! 818-355-2850

Working from home is a wonderful thing, as you won’t have to budget for things like the daily commute, cafeteria meals, or even coffee runs. For another, you have a great deal of flexibility to spend more time on personal interests. And because there’s no dearth of home-based business ideas you can start today, there’s really no reason why you can’t enjoy these perks.

Raven's Rock Real Estate Services knows that working or running a business from home does come with challenges, too. Space often tops the list. It can be hard to maintain workflow when you lack a suitable spot for your labors. If you are really serious about succeeding, then give your workspace some love. Here are a few ways you can do exactly that.

Address Dull Details

Did we say “dull?” Starting a new venture is exciting, but there are a couple of dull details that are must-haves. One involves ensuring that you’re allowed to run a business in your location. Different places have different rules about what can and can’t be done there, and you should verify that your residence is allowed to run the business you intend to start.  

The other concern involves protecting your personal assets. Many small businesses choose to establish as an LLC so they can take advantage of the protection the structure provides, plus there are tax advantages and so forth. If you don’t want to deal with the legal nitty gritty, you can use an online service to take care of it for you. 

Look for Potential

If you live in a small home with limited space, carving out space for work can be challenging. Yet it’s possible to carve out a workspace even in a small area—all you need is a bit of inspiration. It’s not unheard of to create home offices out of unused alcoves, in closets, under the stairs, on stair landings—the possibilities are endless!

When you only have a limited space to turn into a small at-home workspace, spend time thinking about your furniture and furnishings. Choose a slimline desk that’s unobtrusive and a chair that doesn’t dominate the space. If you need storage, Clever suggests modular shelving that also functions as a desk to really maximize space.

Support Productivity

As The Balance notes, one of the perils of running a business from home is the likelihood of distractions. This can be anything from the hustle and bustle of family life to the draw of social media. It is for this reason that if you really want to succeed in a home-based endeavor, you also want to create a workspace that supports what you do and inspires you to focus and work hard.

There is much you can do to keep the distractions at bay. Keeping an organized workspace, for one thing, is important. It’s also wise to invest in various tools that help keep you productive and get work/business tasks done, as well, such as inventory management for your small business.

Scale Up With a New Home

Finally, as your home-based business grows, so does the need for space—whether it’s to accommodate more inventory, produce more of your products, or maybe even to entertain clients. For this reason, buying a new and larger home that can accommodate both your business and personal needs can be a smart move—not to mention, a real monument to your growing success.

It’s a very good idea to research local home prices and trends (Glendale home sale prices have increased over 3 percent since last year), get pre-approved for a mortgage before making an offer on a property, as well as work with a real estate broker who knows their way around the Portland area real estate market. Raven's Rock Real Estate Services can match you with the right home, and they bring a wealth of experience to the table to help you find the perfect home for your work and personal life.

Earning a living from the comforts of home is great, but it can be truly fantastic when you have the perfect workspace to support your productivity. Ultimately, this is where the magic happens, so make sure to give yourself and your business room to grow and succeed.

If you're planning to buy a home, you want a knowledgeable and experienced real estate professional on your side. Contact Raven's Rock Real Estate Services, and let's look for your perfect property that will accommodate your home-based business.

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Use this FREE Refinance Home Loan Calculator

Considering selling or refinancing your home? Get an INSTANT property valuation now!

Contact us today to find out how we can be of assistance to you!

Mortgage Regulations Have Changed ...

Mortgage regulations have changed significantly over the last few years, making your options wider than ever. Subtle changes in the way you approach mortgage shopping, and even small differences in the way you structure your mortgage, can cost or save you literally thousands of dollars and years of expense.

Get the Right Information

Whether you are about to buy your first home, or are planning to make a move to your next home, it is critical that you inform yourself about the factors involved.

Industry research has revealed that there are 6 common mistakes that most homebuyers make in mortgage shopping that can have a significant impact on the outcome of this critical negotiation.  If handled correctly, these issues could result in a mortgage that will cost you less over a shorter period of time.

6 Things You Must Know Before Obtaining a Mortgage

Before you commit your hard earned dollars to monthly mortgage payments, consider these 6 issues. Effective consideration of these important areas can make your payments work much harder for you.

1. You can, and should, get pre-approved for a mortgage before you go looking for a home.
   Pre-approval is easy, and can give you complete peace-of-mind when shopping for your home. Your local lending institution can provide you with written pre-approval for you at no cost and no obligation, and it can all be done quite easily over-the-phone. More than just a verbal approval from your lending institution, a written pre-approval is as good as money in the bank.  It entails a completed credit application, and a certificate which guarantees you a mortgage to the specified level when you find the home you’re look-ing for.
2. Know what monthly dollar amount you feel comfortable committing to.
   When you discuss mortgage pre-approval with your lending institution, find out what level you qualify for, but also pre-assess for yourself what monthly dollar amount you feel comfortable committing to. Your situation may give you a pre-approval amount that is higher (or lower) than the amount of money you would want to pay out each month.  By working back and forth with your lending institution to determine what this monthly amount is, and what value of home this translates into at today’s rates, you won’t waste time looking at homes that are not in your price range.
3. You should be thinking about your long term goals, and expected situation, to determine the type of mortgage that will best suit your needs.
   There are a number of questions you should be asking yourself before you commit to a certain type of mortgage.  How long do you think you will own this home?  What direction are interest rates going in, and how quickly?  Is your income expected to change (up or down) in the near term, impacting how much money you can afford to pay to your mortgage? The answers to these and other questions will help you determine the most appropriate mortgage you should be seeking.
4. Make sure you understand what prepayment privileges and payment frequency options are available to you.
   More frequent payments (for example weekly or biweekly) can literally shave years off your mortgage.  Simply by structuring your payments so that they come out more frequently, will significantly lessen the amount of interest that you will be charged over the term. For the same reason, authorized pre-payment of a certain percentage of your mort-gage, or an increase in the amount you pay monthly, will have a major impact on the number of years you will have to pay and could shorten your payment term considerably. These two payment options can cut years off your mortgage, and save you thousands of dollars in interest.  However, not every mortgage has these prepayment privileges built in, so make sure you ask the proper questions.
5. Ask if your mortgage is both portable and/or assumable.
   A portable mortgage, where available, is one that you can carry with you when you buy your next home and avoid paying any discharge penalties. This means that you will not have to go through the entire mortgage process again unless you are making a move up to a much more expensive home. An assumable mortgage is one that the buyer for your home can take over when you move to your next home.  This can be a very powerful tool at the negotiating table making it much easier and more desirable for a buyer to buy your home, and again saves you any discharge penalties.
6. You should seriously consider dealing with a Mortgage Expert.
   Consider dealing only with a professional who specializes in mortgages. Enlisting their services can make a significant difference in the cost and effectiveness of the mortgage you obtain. For example they can make the process faster thereby avoiding costly delays. Typically there is no cost or obligation to enquire.

Contact Us. Let's get you started of your buying journey.

Homeowners can do plenty to spruce up their home and make it more enticing for buyers. But when they're narrowing their list, what are a few quick fixes that can have a big impact? Besides a fresh coat of paint, here are some additional ideas:

Update the door.

A new front door can be a cost-effective update that can make a big difference, real estate pros say. “Solid wood doors are always a classic style for homes not to go out of style anytime soon,” Redfin notes on its blog. “They’re solid and typically last much longer than alternative materials like fiberglass. Additionally, front doors with inlaid glass can also give your entryway more natural light for the interior of your home.”

Modernize the lighting.

First, make sure all interior lights have the same color temperature so it’s consistent throughout the home. “Updating your light fixtures, ceiling fans, and even your hardware on doors and cabinets is an easy and cost-effective way of increasing the perceived value of your home,” Redfin notes. For example, replace dated brass light fixtures to more contemporary ones, like lights with a black finish. Find fixtures that will add more light and brighten your home too.

Upgrade your mailbox.

It may sound trivial, but the look of the mailbox is all part of helping to build a strong first impression from the curb. “It’s also the easiest home improvement you can do,” Redfin notes at its blog. “It could just be a new mailbox that replaces the old, weathered one you’ve had for years. … Or you could upgrade to a ‘next generation’ mailbox that allows USPS to deliver large packages to your mailbox instead of your front door.”

Source: Realtor Magazine / REDFIN

The Real Estate Market Has Changed...

Remember not so long ago, when you could make your fortune in real estate.  It was nothing then to buy a home, wait a short while, and then sell it at a tidy profit.

And then do it all over again.

Well, as you probably know, times have changed.  As good as the market is right now, home prices are still  below what they were at their peak. Buyers are far more discriminating, and a large percentage of the homes listed for sale never sell. It’s more critical than ever to learn what you need to know to avoid costly seller mistakes in order to sell your home fast and for the most amount of money.

The 7 Deadly Mistakes Most Home sellers Make

1. Failing to analyze why they are selling.
2. Not preparing their home for the buyer’s eye.
3. Pricing their homes incorrectly.
4. Selling too hard during showings.
5. Signing a long-term listing agreement without a written performance guarantee.
6. Making it difficult for buyers to get information on their homes.
7. Failing to obtain a pre-approved mortgage for one’s next home.

“Buyers are far more discriminating, and a large percentage of the homes listed for sale don’t sell the first time.  It’s more critical than ever to learn what you need to know to avoid costly seller mistakes in order to sell your home fast and for the most amount of money.”

The 9 Step System to Get Your Home Sold Fast and For Top Dollar

Selling your home is one of the most important steps in your life. This 9 step system will give you the tools you need to maximize your profits, maintain control, and reduce the stress that comes with the home-selling process:

1. Know why you’re selling, and keep it to yourself.
   The reasons behind your decision to sell affect everything from setting a price to deciding how much time and money to invest in getting your home ready for sale.  What’s more important to you:  the money you walk away with, the length of time your property is on the market or both?Different goals will dictate different strategies. 
   
   However, don’t reveal your motivation to anyone else or they may use it against you at the negotiating table.  When asked, simply say that your housing needs have changed.
2. Do your homework before setting a price.
   Settling on an offering price shouldn’t be done lightly.  Once you’ve set your price, you’ve told buyers the absolute maximum they have to pay for your home, but pricing too high is as dangerous as pricing too low. Remember that the average buyer is looking at 15-20 homes at the same time they are considering yours. This means that they have a basis of comparison, and if your home doesn’t compare favorably with others in the price range you’ve set, you won’t be taken seriously by prospects or agents.  As a result, your home will sit on the market for a long time and, knowing this, new buyers on the market will think there must be something wrong with your home.
3. More homework.
   (In fact, your agent should do this for you).  Find out what homes in your own and similar neighborhoods have sold for in the past 6-12 months, and research what current homes are listed for.  That’s certainly how prospective buyers will assess the worth of your home.
4. Find a good real estate agent to represent your needs.
   Nearly three-quarters of homeowners claim that they wouldn’t use the same realtor who sold their last home. Dissatisfaction boils down to poor communication which results in not enough feedback, lower pricing and strained relations.
5. Maximize your home’s sales potential.
   Each year, corporate North America spends billions on product and packaging design. Appearance is critical, and it would be foolish to ignore this when selling your home.
   
   You may not be able to change your home’s location or floor plan, but you can do a lot to improve its appearance.  The look and feel of your home generates a greater emotional response than any other factor. Before showings clean like you’ve never cleaned before. Pick up, straighten, unclutter, scrub, scour and dust. Fix everything, no matter how insignificant it may appear.  Present your home to get a “WOW” response from prospective buyers.
   
   Allow the buyers to imagine themselves living in your home The decision to buy a home is based on emotion, not logic.  Prospective buyers want to try on your home just like they would a new suit of clothes.  If you follow them around pointing out improvements or if your decor is so different that it’s difficult for a buyer to strip it away in his or her mind, you make it difficult for them to feel comfortable enough to imagine themselves an owner.
6. Make it easy for prospects to get information on your home.
   You may be surprised to know that some marketing tools that most agents use to sell homes (eg. traditional open houses) are actually not very effective. In fact only 1% of homes are sold at an open house.
   
   Furthermore, the prospects calling for information on your home value their time as much as you do.  The last thing they want to be subjected to is either a game of telephone tag with an agent, or an unwanted sales pitch.  Make sure the ads your agent places for your home are attached to a 24 hour prerecorded hotline with a specific ID# for your home which gives buyers access to detailed information about your property day or night, 7 days a week, without having to talk to anyone.  It’s been proven that 3 times as many buyers call for information on your home under this system. And remember, the more buyers you have competing for your home the better, because it sets up an auction-like atmosphere that puts you in the driver’s seat.
7. Know your buyer.
   In the negotiation process, your objective is to control the pace and set the duration.  What is your buyer’s motivation? Does s/he need to move quickly? Does s/he have enough money to pay you your asking price? Knowing this information gives you the upper hand in the negotiation because you know how far you can push to get what you want.
8. Make sure the contract is complete.
   For your part as a seller, make sure you dis-close everything.  Smart sellers proactively go above and beyond legal requirements to disclose all known defects to their buyers in writing.  If the buyer knows about a problem, s/he can’t come back with a lawsuit later on.
   
   Make sure all terms, costs and responsibilities are spelled out in the contract of sale, and resist the temptation to diverge from the con-tract.  For example, if the buyer requests a move-in prior to closing, just say no.  Now is not the time to take any chances of the deal falling through.
9. Don’t move out before you sell.
   Studies have shown that it is more difficult to sell a home that is vacant because it looks for-lorn, forgotten, simply not appealing.  It could even cost you thousands.  If you move, you’re also telling buyers that you have a new home and are probably highly motivated to sell fast. This, of course, will give them the advantage at the negotiating table.

Don’t Pay Another Cent in Rent To Your Landlord...

It’s a dream we all have - to own our own home and stop paying rent.  But if you’re like most renters, you feel trapped within the walls of a house or apartment that doesn’t feel like yours.  How could it when you’re not even permitted to bang in a nail or two without a hassle.  You feel like you’re stuck in the renter’s rut with no way of rising up out of it and own-ing your own home.

Don’t Feel Trapped Anymore

It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been renting, or how insurmountable your financial situation may seem. The truth is, there are some little known facts that can help you get over the hump, and transfer your status from renter to homeowner.  With this information, you will begin to see how you really can:

• save for a downpayment
• stop lining your landlord’s pockets, and
• stop wasting thousands of dollars on rent.

“If you’re like most renters, you feel trapped within the walls of a house or apartment that doesn’t feel like yours .”

6 Little Known Facts That Can Help You Buy Your First Home

The problem that most renters face isn’t your ability to meet a monthly payment. Goodness knows that you must meet this monthly obligation every 30 days already. The problem is accumulating enough capital to make a downpayment on something more permanent.

But saving for this lump sum doesn’t have to be as difficult as you might think.  Consider the following 6 important points:

1. You can buy a home with much less down than you think.
   There are some local or federal government programs (such as 1st time buyer programs) to help people get into the housing market. You can qualify as a first time buyer even if your spouse has owned a home before as long as your name was not registered. Ensure your real estate agent is informed and knowledgeable in this important area and can offer programs to help you with your options.
2. You may be able to get your lender to help you with your down payment and closing costs.
   Even if you do not have enough cash for a down-payment, if you are debt-free, and own an asset free and clear (such as a car for example), your lending institution may be able to lend you the down-payment for your home by securing it against this asset.
3. You may be able to find a seller to help you buy and finance your home.
   Some sellers may be willing to hold a second mortgage for you as a “seller take-back”.  In this case, the seller becomes your lending institution. Instead of paying this seller a lump-sum full amount for his or her home, you would pay monthly mortgage installments.
4. You may be able to create a cash down payment without actually going into debt.
   By borrowing money for certain investments to a specified level, you may be able to generate a significant tax refund for yourself that you can use as a down-payment.  While the money borrowed for these investments is technically a loan, the monthly amount paid can be small, and the money invested in both home and investment will be yours in the end.
5. You can buy a home even if you have problems with your credit rating.
   If you can come up with more than the minimum down-payment, or can secure the loan with other equity, many lend-ing institutions will consider you for a mortgage.  Alternatively, a seller take-back mortgage could also help you in this situation.
6. You can, and should, get pre-approved for a home loan before you go looking for a home.
   Pre-approval is easy, and can give you complete peace-of-mind when shop-ping for your home. Mortgage experts can obtain written pre-approval for you at no cost and no obligation, and it can all be done quite easily over-the-phone. More than just a verbal approval from your lending institution, a written pre-approval is as good as money in the bank.  It entails a completed credit application, and a certificate which guarantees you a mortgage to the specified level when you find the home you’re looking for.
   
   Consider dealing only with a professional who specializes in mortgages. Enlisting their services can make the difference between obtaining a mort-gage, and being stuck in the renter’s rut forever. Typically there is no cost or obligation to enquire.

There are many important issues you should be aware of that affect you as a renter.  Why on earth would you continue to lose thousands by throwing it away on rent when with your agent you could take a few minutes to discuss your specific needs so that you can stop renting and start owning.

This conversation costs you nothing. And, of course, you shouldn’t have to feel obligated to buy a home at the time you review this.  But by taking the time to explore your options, and learn about the ways you can afford to buy a home, think how prepared and relaxed you’ll be when you are ready to make this important step.

Contact Us. We can help make it happen!

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is expected to release updated guidance tomorrow on FHA-insured condominium financing. The new rules should benefit more buyers by allowing them to obtain low down-payment mortgages on affordable housing options.

Specifically, the new rules will:

Home automation is increasingly common these days as the number of consumer-focused smart devices continues to increase. Though automation covers everything from light controls and security systems to water leak monitors and door locks, one of the most common automation devices is the smart thermostat. These thermostats offer improved climate control and energy savings through programmable adjustments for a range of different scenarios.

There is one issue with the early smart thermostats that were introduced, however: most of them only offered a single point of climate control, not taking into account several common heating and cooling scenarios that require a bit more nuanced control. Fortunately, there are other thermostat systems now available that provide smarter climate control options.

Why a Multi-Room Approach is Important

There are a number of reasons why having a single point of temperature control isn’t always ideal. In some cases, rooms that are farther away from your unit may not get the same degree of air flow,

especially in older systems; if everything is controlled by a single thermostat located near the air intake then the rooms with lower air flow won’t get the air that they need to keep pace with the rest of the house. Similar problems can occur if you have a split system or zoned heating and cooling. It may be a cool 68 in your living room, but rooms that are served by other system components could be staying in the 70s or higher.

You Need a Multi-Room Thermostat

Regardless of the reason, if your thermostat isn’t able to consistently heat or cool your entire home then it’s not going to be nearly as efficient as you’d like. That’s where a multi-room thermostat system comes in handy. These thermostats have additional sensors that you can mount in other rooms around the house. These sensors take additional temperature readings and broadcast the data back to the thermostat. The thermostat takes this additional data and adjusts the way it heats and cools your home with a focus on maintaining the entire home’s temperature instead of just the room where the thermostat’s located.

Because the thermostat has information from all over your house, the amount of warm or cool air circulated into each room is adjusted based on the home’s actual needs. This gives a greater amount of control over the internal temperature of the house, preventing warm and cool spots. It also ensures that adjustments made when you’re not in certain rooms or when you leave the house are optimized to save you the most money on your heating and cooling costs.

Taking Control of your Home Climate

There are a number of models of multi-room thermostats that you can choose from. The initial installation shouldn’t be any more complicated than any other thermostat replacement, as the majority of multi-room units use wireless technology to communicate with the central thermostat. Since you don’t have to directly wire the satellite sensors you have a lot of freedom in where you place them without having to drill holes and run wires through your walls.

Once the thermostat is installed and all the sensors are in place, all that’s left is to sync the sensors with the central thermostat. How you do this may differ depending on the make and model of thermostat you choose, but each model should have detailed instructions on how to connect the units together. Once everything’s connected, all that’s left is to sit back and enjoy the controlled climate.